by James Hunter
In my old life, I’d lived in a crappy apartment, with crappy things, making a crappy salary. All because I wasn’t brave enough to step out and take risks. This was a new life, though. A new chance, and I wasn’t going to make the same mistakes again. “In for a penny, in for a pound,” I said with a nod. “Lay it on me.”
THIRTY: Dark Templar
The chieftain offered a broad grin, crow’s feet jutting from the corners of his eyes. “Wonderful.” He rubbed his hands together. In a few quick steps, he was before me and had my head gripped between his heavily calloused palms. Then he began to chant, his words foreign and odd, echoing with a strangely musical cadence. The handprint on my arm began to throb like a slow steady heartbeat, arctic cold sweeping through me like a sudden blizzard, my limbs trembling under the icy power. Part of me wanted to pull away from his hands, but I couldn’t move.
I could only stand, shiver, and watch.
Soon, the chanting took on a new rhythm—fevered, edgy, erratic—and great bands of shifting black began to swirl and twirl around the chief until he was wreathed in a whirlwind of pure shadow. His eyes burned with violet light and suddenly the pressure on my head increased a hundred-fold, his hands turning into a vise, bearing down on my skull with inhuman strength, sending jagged bolts of pain skipping through my body. I opened my mouth to scream but no sound came out; instead, the whirling vortex surrounding Kolle poured into me, filling me with the dark, freezing energy of Umbra.
In wriggled inside me, seeping through my skin, crawling over eyes and my hair, boring through my eardrums, and permeating my gray matter.
After what felt like a lifetime, the chief ceased his chanting and staggered away, sweat rolling down his face, his back bowed with exhaustion, his arms suddenly hanging like dead weights at his sides. He stumbled and lurched left then right, before carefully shuffling backward and lowering himself onto a mound of pillows, his breathing labored. I gracelessly collapsed to the ground, my legs rubber, my spine made of Jell-O. My HP hadn’t been affected in any way by the ceremony, but whatever the chief had done had completely drained me of Spirit and Stamina.
“The ceremony is never easy,” the chief said after a time, “but it was even more difficult than usual with you, boy. Nearly killed myself unlocking your gift. I am suddenly reminded why there is a reason the ordeal is done in stages.” He paused, wheezing as he dropped his head down. “Still, it is done,” he finished eventually. “You now have access to the Shadowmancer Kit skills. Take a moment to examine the abilities available to you, invest your Proficiency Points as you see fit, then I will tell you about your initiation ordeal.”
I nodded, too tired to say anything else. A host of notifications immediately popped up in front of me. I sighed, opened up my bag, and selected another slab of seared meat to gnaw on while I read through each prompt—I really needed to get my Stamina back up to maximum. First was a long list of various traits I’d acquired with my new class:
<<<>>>
Mantle of the Maa-Tál (Shadowmancer)
As a guardian and enforcer of the Dark Pantheon, you wrap yourself in the shadow power of the Umbra, gaining a wide array of deadly powers.
Effect 1: +5% faster movement rate (+1% for per 4 C.L.)
Effect 2: +10% Stealth (+1% per 5 C.L.)
Effect 3: Immune to Morale Failure
Effect 4: +10% damage bonus against “light”-aligned players and NPCs
Effect 5: +20% resistance to shadow damage
Effect 6: Access to Shadowmancer Restricted Skills
Effect 7: “Dark” alignment added
Effect 8: 10% Weakness against Holy Damage
Effect 9: Cannot wear Heavy Armor
Effect 10: Can only specialize in Blunt Weapons
<<<>>>
I whistled through my teeth. Those were some serious perks. I was sure the other classes offered some spectacular bonuses, but I bet they weren’t nearly so extensive. I took another bite of meat, savoring the charred flavor as I toggled over to the “Class Abilities” screen.
<<<>>>
Class Unlocked
Congratulations, you have been granted the Dark Templar (Probationary) class and have unlocked the Shadowmancer (Probationary) specialty kit! Each class has a variety of locked skills/abilities, which can be unlocked and improved by investing Proficiency Points earned while leveling up your character. Many skills require you to reach a certain character level before unlocking, and each unlocked spell can be upgraded a total of seven times (Initiate, Novice, Adept, Journeyman, Specialist, Master, Grandmaster).
<<<>>>
I read the brief explanation, then dismissed the notice and pulled up my Shadowmancer Skill Tree screen. My kit tree seemed to be broken down into four distinct groups: Offensive Skills, Defensive Skills, Crowd Control Techniques, and Passive Abilities. Most of the abilities were currently blocked due to prerequisite skills or level restrictions, but there was still some awesome stuff available to me. I currently had 10 Proficiency Points to invest, but I needed to make sure I used them wisely, especially since it was possible I might lose any invested points if I failed this mission.
I continued to chomp at my greasy mutton as I scanned through each of the four skill groupings, reading over the items with a careful eye.
After a lot of thought and careful examination, I finally decided to drop two more points into Umbra Bolt—elevating the spell to the Adept Level—then picked up three more active spells to round out my growing repertoire:
<<<>>>
Skill: Shadow Stride
Time grinds to a crawl for everyone except the caster, allowing the Shadowmancer to evade enemies by slipping through the Shadowverse to a nearby location. While shadow striding, the Shadowmancer is immune to damage, but cannot attack, consume potions, or perform other spells. The Shadowmancer can only remain in the Shadowverse for 30 seconds (accelerated player time).
Skill Type/Level: Spell/Initiate
Cost: 100 Spirit
Range: 40 Meters
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: 45 seconds (from cast time)
Effect: Teleport through shadow to a nearby location.
Effect 2: Immune to damage while shadow striding.
<<<>>>
Skill: Umbra Bog
Summon a bog of creeping shadows that temporarily ensnares your enemies, badly hindering movement.
Skill Type/Level: Spell/Initiate
Cost: 150 Spirit
Range: 40 Meters
Cast Time: 1.0 seconds
Cooldown: 2 minutes
Effect: Ensnare enemies in a shadowy bog, slowing movement by 75%; duration, 30 seconds.
<<<>>>
Skill: Dark Shield
Summon a powerful forcefield of dark energy to protect you from projectiles or spell damage.
Skill Type/Level: Spell/Initiate
Cost: 35 Spirit/Sec
Range: 1 Meter
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: N/A
Effect: Create a powerful forcefield which absorbs (110% x SP) of projectile or spell damage.
<<<>>>
With Umbra Bolt, Shadow Stride, Umbra Bog, and Dark Shield in my tool belt, I had a little bit of everything. My Blunt Weapon skills and Stealth abilities would allow me to deal out some serious damage up close and personal, while Umbra Bolt would give me a powerful ranged attack. The other spells would afford me a chance to capitalize on my quick movement rate, while offering some decent protection just in case things went sideways. Satisfied with those choices, I decided to also pick up Dark Harmony—a passive ability—and one Aura Skill called Night Armor:
<<<>>>
Ability: Dark Harmony
Draw on the ever-present power of the Umbra to heal grievous injuries to the flesh.
Ability Type/Level: Passive/Initiate
Cost: None
Range: N/A
Cast Time: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
Effect: Increase Health Regeneration by 1
5%.
<<<>>>
Skill: Night Armor
Call upon the power of the night and wrap yourself in a barrier of dense shadow, diminishing the damage from melee attacks while simultaneously exacting retribution against your attacker.
Skill Type/Level: Aura/Initiate
Cost: 450 Spirit; duration, 20 minutes.
Range: 1 Meter
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: N/A
Effect: Night Armor absorbs 15% of melee damage.
Effect 2: Night Armor redirects 20% of absorbed melee damage back at the attacker.
<<<>>>
Hopefully, with all of those extra perks and skills I’d be able to survive whatever the chief had in store for me. I finally closed out of my interface menu to find the chief pacing the room in eager anticipation, his rough leather trousers whisk-whisk-whisking as he moved. He came to a stuttering halt as he noticed my gaze. “So, have you made your choices?”
I nodded.
“Good, then there is nothing left for you here—it is time for you to embark on your ordeal. To the southeast of here, there lives a terrible creature: the Moss Hag. A wretched being that dwells in the deep swamps. She is fond of encroaching on our boundaries and has a terrible hunger for the flesh of our people, especially our young. In order to prove yourself worthy of the title Maa-Tál, you must venture into the heart of her swamp alone and find a way to rid Yunnam of this scourge once and for all. Do this and you will be one of us. Fail …” He faltered, surveying me with serious eyes. “Don’t fail.”
<<<>>>
Quest Update: Plight of the Maa-Tál
Chief Kolle of the Ak-Hani clan has charged you with destroying the Moss Hag living in the deep swamps to the Southeast of Yunnam. This noble deed will complete the quest Plight of the Maa-Tál and you will receive (1) [unique, scalable item] from Chief Kolle as well as the Shadowmancer class kit.
Quest Class: Rare, Class-Based
Quest Difficulty: Infernal
Success: Eliminate the Moss Hag without dying within (24) in-game hours.
Failure: Die during the Maa-Tál initiation ordeal or fail to eliminate the Moss Hag within (24) in-game hours.
Reward: Class Change: Dark Templar, Shadowmancer Kit; Unique, Scalable Item
Accept: Yes/No
<<<>>>
I accepted the quest without question, offered the chief a quick goodbye, then saw myself out of the building.
Cutter was waiting for me outside. He was leaning against the base of the chieftain’s enormous tree home, arms crossed, completely at his ease—or at least, that’s what he was trying to convey. I could tell he was nervous, though, which was partly due to the fact that Amara lingered twenty feet away, staring at him with cold hostility, casually inspecting the razor-sharp blade of a dagger. Watching his every move.
“How bad is it?” Cutter asked, purposely ignoring Amara’s icy glare.
“Pretty bad,” I said honestly before filling him in on the details.
He nodded, grimaced, then shrugged. “Well, you can only do what you can do, I suppose. Just remember what I said when we were training: ‘there’s always someone bigger, faster, stronger. So, you need to be smarter. Misdirection and a well-placed blow can fell even the most imposing warriors.’ Remember that”—he cocked a finger and tapped at his temple—“and you’ll do alright. And if not … Well, then both our arses are royally screwed. Best of luck, Grim Jack. Best of luck, ’cause you’re gonna need it.”
THIRTY-ONE: Test Drive
I left through the main gate, this time alone, the sun dropping below the tree line, long, deep shadows giving the forest an ominous appearance. I checked my map and saw the Moss Hag’s burrow was just south from the pit Cutter and I had originally fallen into. The one near the border with the creepy Spiderkin. Which meant I could easily follow the ambling path back to the pit, likely avoiding the forest’s assorted deadly denizens, then cut over. The lazy couch potato in my soul said that’s what I should do: just follow the road, stick to the path of least resistance.
I dismissed the idea the second I was out of the gate, though.
I only had one shot to accomplish this mission, and assuming the chieftain hadn’t been overexaggerating, it was going to take everything I had to get the deed done. Which meant I wasn’t going to be able to just walk into the Moss Hag’s burrow, punch her in the teeth, and call it quits, quick and easy. Which further meant I needed to have a handle on my new abilities when I confronted her—it certainly wouldn’t do to show up for the big boss fight and Shadow Stride my way off a cliff by accident. The odds were already stacked heavily against me, so I needed every advantage I could get my mitts on.
Besides, I was pretty excited to see what my new spells could actual do.
So I headed off road, fighting my way into the twisting trees, careful to avoid the grabbing roots and tangles of mossy vegetation littering the forest floor. I kept checking my map as I went, using the road as a guide, since it was so hard to keep directionally oriented in the labyrinth-like woods. I pulled up my interface as I moved, keeping one eye on my surroundings while I double-checked the various spells now available to me.
Dark Harmony was a passive ability, which boosted my HP recovery rate by 15%, so I didn’t need to do anything with that, but the Night Armor was a defensive aura I could throw on right now. The spell lasted twenty minutes, but at 450 Spirit per cast, it was easily the most expensive ability in my arsenal. Still, I was pumped to see what it did. I set my mind on casting the spell, and suddenly knowledge bloomed in the back of my head, information flooding through me as if I’d remembered something long forgotten. As my intention hardened, arctic power coalesced into a tight knot in my chest, then rushed out with a soft whoosh.
Shimmering ribbons of shadow exploded around me, constantly shifting and running over every inch of my body, clinging to me like a second skin. A little popup appeared in the corner of my eye, telling me how long I had left before the spell lapsed and dissipated. I held up my hands, examining them as the violet shadow energy continued to twist and twirl around me. I couldn’t actually feel anything—the Night Armor was completely weightless and in no way restricted my movement—but it sure looked intimidating as hell.
I grinned. Awesome.
My steps faltered as I heard a rustle and caught a glimpse of movement through the dense tree cover ahead. Even though I hadn’t gotten a good glimpse of the thing, I’d seen enough to know it wasn’t a spider, thank God. The thing ahead had green flesh and walked mostly upright. I dropped into a crouch, embracing stealth and fading to the world as I stole forward like a ghost in the night. Another flash of movement, this time thirty feet or so away and closing quickly, caught my eye again.
Time to try one of my other new abilities I was very curious about: Shadow Stride.
I fixed my gaze on an inky pool of shadow near a clump of trees not far from where I’d seen the movement and triggered the spell with a thought, expecting to teleport in a blink. Once more, cold power rushed out of me, and as it did, the ever-present shadows around me responded, surging into motion, surrounding me in a puff of black smoke as another timer appeared below my Night Armor countdown clock. I took a quick glance around, momentarily stunned by what I was seeing. I’d expected to simply step through space and time in one fluid motion, departing point A and arriving at point B in a blink.
That wasn’t even close to what happened.
No, I was in a different realm. Everything looked more or less the same, except now the landscape was painted in muted shades of gray, black, and purple, and time had come to a virtual standstill. Everything was as quiet as the inside of a long-buried tomb. No wind stirred in this place. No breeze rustled the leaves. No bugs chirped. The air felt stale and heavy. Still feeling supremely unsure, I strode forward, cautiously moving toward the clump of shadow I’d originally been aiming at. It took me a handful of seconds to get there, which is when I finally caught sight of my prey lurking behind a c
lump of overgrown ferns.
A [Storme Marsh Mantis].
The creature was a hunched thing with green chitinous armor, buggy eyes, monstrous tearing mandibles, huge translucent wings protruding from its back, and a pair of scythe-like blade-arms that immediately made me understand where this thing had gotten its name. It did look like a praying mantis—one that was five feet tall and mutated by the radiation from an atomic blast. And the mantis wasn’t alone. Three more loitered nearby, though all of them were completely motionless, frozen in time like statues by my spell.
Wicked.
The spell description explicitly stated I couldn’t attack while shadow striding, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to at least try. I lazily swung my warhammer at the nearest creature, expecting to feel the familiar thud of steel on flesh. Whoof. Nothing. My hammer, slightly translucent, sailed right through the creature’s skull as though it were made of smoke, passing in one side and out the other without a hitch. No damage at all. The Shadow Stride countdown timer was now only seconds away from expiring, so I maneuvered to the creature’s side and dropped back into Stealth, preparing for a brawl.
The timer flashed red—warning, warning, warning—then time crashed back into me as the Shadowverse vomited me into a world bursting with color, movement, sound, life. I lashed out with my hammer, triggering Savage Blow as I connected with one of the mantis’s buggy eyes. Its eye ruptured from the impact, but I didn’t take the time to watch the result of my handiwork. I was already moving as the mantis fell. I darted left, summoning an Umbra Bolt as I moved, then lobbed it into the face of the nearest overgrown insect.
The energy bolt shot out like a missile and though it didn’t kill the bug, it sliced into its HP and left it momentarily blinded and reeling.
The remaining mantises surged into motion, quick as a lightning strike, and before I could do anything else, a scythe-bladed limb slammed into the side of my face, lifting me from my feet and into the air. The blow hurt, obviously, but the Night Armor blanketing me absorbed a sizeable chunk of the damage and also, mercifully, blunted the actual pain from the attack. Even if Night Armor did nothing else, easing the hurt from damage taken would be well worth the cost. I curled into a roll, just like Cutter had taught me, and came back to my feet, unleashing another Umbra Bolt at the mantis recovering from my last shadowy assault.
